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07/17/2018 / By Michelle Simmons
Winged prickly ash (Zanthoxylum armatum), a well-known medicinal herb in East Asia, can be used to prevent and treat diabetes, according to a study published in the journal BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. The study, conducted by a group of researchers at COMSATS University and The Islamia University of Bahawalpur in Pakistan, assessed the antidiabetic and biochemical effects of winged prickly ash extracts in mice.
For the study, the research group collected the extracts of winged prickly ash from its fruit, bark, and leaf and tested them for their alpha-glucosidase inhibition activity. Alpha-glucosidase is a key enzyme in digesting carbohydrates and converting them into simple sugars such as glucose. Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors delay the absorption of glucose.
The researchers induced diabetes in mice by injecting alloxan monohydrate. They then gave the animals an antidiabetic drug called glibenclamide at a dose of 10 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) or winged prickly ash fruit, bark, or leaf extracts at a dose of 500 mg/kg for a period of 15 days.
Results revealed that the winged prickly ash leaf and bark extracts exhibited the most powerful alpha-glucosidase inhibition activity. Moreover, all the winged prickly ash extracts substantially decreased fasting blood glucose levels in the mice, with the leaf extract exhibiting the most powerful effect. This effect proved the hypoglycemic nature of the extracts.
In addition, the winged prickly ash treatments greatly improved the mice’s blood hemoglobin, cholesterol, and triglycerides, as well as urea and creatinine, which are indicators of impaired renal function. The extracts also reduced the low-density lipoprotein (LDL) level in diabetic mice, indicating a hypolipidemic effect.
Based on the findings of the study, the research group concluded that the extracts of winged prickly ash contain significant antidiabetic properties. Therefore, they can be used in treating and preventing diabetes.
In order to prevent diabetes, you need to know its risk factors, which include the following:
Although having one of these risk factors does not necessarily mean that you have diabetes, it is still important to take extra preventive measures. Following a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, engaging in physical activity for at least 30 minutes every day, maintaining a healthy weight, and keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check are some of the best ways to prevent or lower your risk of diabetes. (Related: Type 2 diabetes can be avoided with the right kind of diet – do you know which one?)
Several natural substances can also help you minimize your risk of diabetes. These include the following:
Read more news stories and studies on how to treat diabetes naturally by going to DiabetesScienceNews.com.
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Tagged Under: alpha-glucosidase inhibition, antidiabetic, biochemical parameters, blood glucose, blood sugar, diabetes, diabetes treatments, food as medicine, food cures, Herbs, natural cures, natural medicine, prevention, Zanthoxylum armatum, α-glucosidase inhibition
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